Amnesty is granted for all Poles in the Soviet Union; the formation of Polish units in the USSR begins.

1942

March

A total of 45,000 Polish soldiers and 25,500 civilians are taken by train and by ship from Central Asia to Iran.

1942

24 March

The first ship leaves Krasnovodsk in Turkistan.

1942

08-30 August

The second evacuation begins and continues for a couple of months: a total of 33,000 military but only 11,000 civilians leave.

1943 - 1944

December 1943 - mid-April 1944

The Polish 2nd Corps, under the command of General W Anders, lands in Italy.

1944

26 April

The Polish Heavy Artillery Corps is moved into position on Monte Cassino.

1944

04 May

The Polish 2nd Corps reaches Monte Cassino in Italy.

1944

11-18 May

The offensive starts with an artillery barrage at 23.00; the Polish 2nd Corps engages in the 4th Battle of Monte Cassino which ends in the capture of the Monastery Hill, thus securing the opening of the road to Rome for the Allied forces.

1944

18 May

At 09.50 a banner of the 12th Podolski Cavalry Regiment is placed on the highest point of the ruins of the Monastery at Monte Cassino.

1944

18 May

Emil Czech of the 12th Podolski Cavalry Regiment plays the 'Mary Bugle' (Hejnal Mariacki) in front of the Monastery at Monte Cassino.

1944

16 June-18 July

The Battle of Ancona leads to the capture of this port by the Polish 2nd Corps.

1944

November-

December

Tehran Conference takes place.

1945

January

The Polish 2nd Corps reaches the River Senio, initiating three months of static warfare in preparation for the assault on Bologna.